Abstract

BOURNE-MURRIETA, Luz R.; WONG-CORRAL, Francisco J.; BORBOA-FLORES, Jesús  and  CINCO-MOROYOQUI, Francisco J.. Damage caused by the larger grain borer Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) (coleoptera: bostrichidae) in maize and branches of wild plants. Rev. Chapingo ser. cienc. for. ambient [online]. 2014, vol.20, n.1, pp.63-75. ISSN 2007-4018.  https://doi.org/10.5154/r.rchscfa.2013.03.008.

Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) is a wood borer insect adapted to stored food products, mainly maize. In this study we quantified losses and damages caused by this insect in 10 varieties of maize and 10 plant species to determine the susceptibility and effects that the insect could provoke if it adapts to the conditions in northwestern Mexico. Maize seeds and pieces of branches of tree species were subjected to artificial infestation by adult P. truncates, and then incubated at 27 ± 1 °C and 70 ± 3 % RH. The preference of insects and damage in each material were determined. Insects preferred and damaged most to "Maizon", a variety of native maize planted by producers of the mountainous region of Sonora. The pieces of branches with higher degree of damage by P. truncatus were Ricinus communis, Jatropha cardiophylla and Parkinsonia aculeata; however, the insect was unable to reproduce in any of the branches. "Maizon" was also the variety that had the most dramatic decline in germination and the highest number of adults of P. truncatus emerged.

Keywords : Induced infestation; preference; susceptibility; germination; Sonora.

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